Peace and harmonies from Indigo Girls on holiday debut

If you know anything at all about the Indigo Girls, you’re probably not surprised to hear that their first holiday-themed album, “Holly Happy Days” (Vanguard Records), doesn’t hew to just one holiday.

Peter Chianca

If you know anything at all about the Indigo Girls, you’re probably not surprised to hear that their first holiday-themed album, “Holly Happy Days” (Vanguard Records), doesn’t hew to just one holiday.

“I didn’t want this to just be an album for Christians or people who celebrate Christmas,” says Emily Saliers, who works with Amy Ray as the harmonically blessed folk duo that’s been recording for more than two decades. “I wanted it to have content to remember how beautiful all the faiths of the world are, and how this particular season is one of hope and celebration.”

And the album more than succeeds at its inclusive mission, effortlessly balancing hymns like “O Holy Night,” more secular numbers like “(It Really Is) A Wonderful Life,” and three stellar originals: “Mistletoe” and “The Wonder Song” by Ray and Saliers’ “Your Holiday Song,” which makes a point of embracing all comers in its message of holiday spirit.

“I wrote it specifically for the album,” says Saliers. “I thought, wouldn’t it be great to have a song that everybody could tap their toes to and feel included in?”

Hanukkah also makes an appearance, via a cover of Woody Guthrie’s “Happy Joyous Hanukkah,” with music by the Klezmatics.

“That was a romp … We just had such a fine time recording that song,” says Saliers. “It was one of the hardest ones to learn. There were so many words and they go by so fast. It was fun and challenging both learning and recording that song.”

It also exemplifies the disc’s rootsy, bluegrass feel, a style the Indigo Girls have flirted with throughout their career.

“We both love rootsy music, American music, and when you’re in Nashville there’s really a gazillion players who are mind-blowingly good,” says Saliers. “We both wanted to go to Nashville and record it … and just do it really stripped down with world-class bluegrass players.”

The bluegrass numbers are the most fun on the album, but there’s also a spiritual current running through several of the selections, such as “Angels We Have Heard On High.” Saliers says that’s no accident.

“There’s no doubt about it … Amy and I grew up with that hymn,” she says of “Angels.” “We wanted to add a bit of a Baroque feel in terms of the instrumentation. So we did that with the guitar and mandolin duet interplay in there.”

The song also contains an a cappella key change that stands out even on an album filled with intricate harmonies. “That was fun,” she continues. “You’ve just got to take a leap of faith and go up your half step with nothing to support you.”

The Indigo Girls will be doing a short holiday tour featuring most of the players on the record, with shows in Atlanta, New York and Chicago — “It’s gonna be a hootenanny!” Saliers declares. And as for Saliers’ own Christmas wish, it fits right in with the themes of “Holly Happy Days.”

“My first wish is a fantastical wish — a wish for peace among all peoples and a more realistic approach to that, in a way that we start to recognize our common ground despite all our differences,” Saliers said.